The commission has been working since 2013 on the issue, Joe Commor, administrative officer for the commission said.

Getting a better deal for Chuuk

The FSM's treaty with the United States expires in 2023 and the commission is hopeful that independence for Chuuk could mean getting a better deal in the future, he said.

The commission, created under Chuuk law, has been holding public meetings back home in Chuuk and in places with Chuukese citizens, like Guam, Hawaii and the U.S. mainland. The federal treaty allows FSM citizens to live and work in the United States. Most relocated citizens live on Guam, followed by Hawaii.

The commission's goal is for Chuuk to secede from the FSM and renegotiate a separate Compact of Free Association with the United States.

But some from Chuuk think the idea of pursuing independence is premature, with unclear consequences.

Live, work and study anywhere in America

The FSM, the Republic of Marshall Islands and Republic of Palau all have agreements with the U.S. pursuant to Compacts of Free Association.

Under the compacts, citizens from these three island nations can live, work and study in any part of America without a visa. In exchange, the U.S. has access to land, airspace and sea of the Marshall Islands, FSM and Palau for military purposes. The compacts have been in place since 1986 for the FSM and Marshall Islands and since 1994 for Palau.

Impact on Chuuk if it seceded from FSM

There was supposed to be a vote on the plebiscite in 2015, but it was postponed to allow the commission to gather more information and provide more time to inform Chuuk citizens, Commor said.

One question that needed to be answered is whether it is legal for Chuuk to secede from the FSM, he said. Attorneys for the commission informed them that there was no provision in the FSM constitution that prevents a state from seceding, he said.

The commission also sought an analysis to determine the economic impact on Chuuk if it seceded from the FSM, he said.

Commor said the report found that Chuuk could be better off if it became independent of the FSM.

Next vote scheduled for March 2019

The next vote is scheduled for March 2019 during the Chuuk Legislature's mid-term election, he said.

He said there are about 45,000 eligible voters for the Chuuk election.

A majority vote is needed to pass the plebiscite to move the issue forward, he said.

Commor said, from what he's seen, it looks like the vote could be split.

He said it will be up to the commission to move the issue forward if the plebiscite isn't passed next year.